Lilly Higgins: Aubergine Parmigiana

Years ago, when aubergines began to appear in supermarket vegetable aisles, I had no clue where to start. Do I peel it? Boil it? Cook it whole?

The more I have cooked them, the more I have come to realise how versatile and delicious aubergines are. When cooked the right way, they become meltingly smooth – pure comfort food with all the flavours that Mediterranean sunshine imparts.

One of my favourite quick dinners is to half an aubergine lengthways, score the inside with a sharp knife and paint it with some salty miso paste, then roast it and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

There is nothing less appetising than an undercooked aubergine. They are one of the few vegetables that I would never eat raw.

I never waste time salting aubergines. It makes the process twice as long and isn’t necessary. They come to life when doused in good olive oil and roasted, or you can just rub the skin with oil and roast them whole or over a flame to make smoky baba ghanoush, a gorgeous Levantine dip.

I usually go the Middle Eastern or Japanese route when cooking aubergine, but for this recipe I am looking to Italy.

I made this for my vegetarian sister the other night and she said it tasted like something an Italian nonna would make. It is rustic peasant food and I love it. There are few ingredients but plenty of each. Those four tins of tomatoes simmer down to a rich sauce.

I have added a few basil leaves in between the layers to permeate the sauce with a subtle sweet anise flavour. You can buy tinned tomatoes that already have oregano or basil added, as well as onion or garlic.

Aubergine Parmigiana is the only dish that I peel aubergines for. In other recipes the skin takes on a fantastic texture when roasted, but I prefer the skin removed for this. A sharp peeler does the trick.

Many traditional recipes will suggest you cut the aubergines into circles, but lengthways is much better and it keeps them more structurally sound when you cut them.

This recipe makes a huge dish, and that’s not a bad thing. Leftovers are delicious at room temperature and freeze really well; just defrost fully and scatter a little more cheese on top before reheating. Place the dish in a large tray of water: the bain marie will ensure it doesn’t dry out.

This is a great family dinner alternative to lasagne and shepherd’s pie. The rich tomato sauce and melting cheese make it a real crowd-pleaser.

AUBERGINE PARMIGIANA: SERVES 6-8

Ingredients

• 900g aubergine, or 3 large ones
• 200g plain flour
• 200g grated Parmesan (divide in two)
• 375g mozzarella, buffalo if you can get it
• 4 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 10-12 basil leaves, torn
• Sea salt
• Olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Peel the aubergines and cut them into 1cm slices horizontally. Dust each slice with flour on both sides. Drizzle two large baking trays with olive oil and arrange the slices in a single layer. Drizzle with a little more oil, then roast for 15 minutes. Turn each slice and scatter with half the Parmesan, then return to the oven for a further 15 minutes until golden. Set aside.

To make the sauce, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the sliced garlic and cook briefly; don’t let it brown. Add the tinned tomatoes and season with salt. Add a splash of red wine, if you have it. Leave the sauce to simmer and reduce down by almost half.

Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of an oven-proof 7in x 11in dish. Layer over the aubergine and sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Add another layer of sauce, aubergine, Parmesan and half the mozzarella. Top with sauce, aubergine, Parmesan and sauce, finishing off with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. It sounds complicated but will make sense once you are doing it.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad.